Inside Story

"You can close your eyes but you can't shut your ears off, "says John Wilkinson of Westminster Council's noise team. The first film in this new series follows the team as they try to make central London a quieter place. Barking dogs, blaring music, shouting neighbours and screeching burglar alarms can turn rational people into paranoid wrecks. So, although they now have extensive powers to break into cars or property where there is a noise nuisance, much of their work involves diplomacy as they diffuse explosive situations and soothe shattered nerves.